After almost three months of haggling, power plays, dilly-dallying, dividing portfolios, and swapping them like trading cards, Montenegro has got its 44th government.
These three months of negotiations doubled as three months of media reporting on negotiations, propagating narratives that certain people were being kept out of the government, and analyzing it all on morning programs of TV Pink, TV Happy, and tabloids.
The grand announcement of the government agreement and its composition, followed by its approval, became a trigger for ultra-biased congratulations and lamentations.
Informer quickly congratulated Montenegro, even before the formation took place, saying, “Montenegro is finally getting the government it deserves,” with Mandić and Knežević taking the stage. Congratulations to Andrija Mandic, made by his coalition ally Milan Knezevic, were conveyed by Vecernje novosti.
The first lamentation came through the headline of the Voice of Montenegro portal, self-proclaimed as the “first diaspora portal.” This diaspora portal expressed sympathy for our collective fate by announcing the government’s composition, which they titled, “This is what the first Chetnik government of Montenegro will look like, of course, without Montenegrins.”
As the political marathon took place in the Parliament, Novosti warned of chaos created by Milo’s clique in front of the Parliament building due to Andrija Mandic’s. However, when you click on the article, it contains only six sentences and no mention of any nonexistent chaos.
Informer might not have seen chaos, but they sure spotted a “Montenegrin political circus” coming up with one of the most interesting headlines lately: “Montenegrin Political Circus! Spajic: Without me, it will all be a mess! Abazovic: You’re spreading the ‘black scenario’ – it’s all…”. Oddly enough, there is not a single word from Spajic in the article.
Croatian neighbors joined the party, asking worriedly if “we’re being served up to Russia and Serbia on a silver platter,” not hiding their “shock” over the decision of Albanian parties to enter the government, worrying about our survival as a nation.
After three months of negotiations and 24-hour-long discussion in the Parliament, an average citizen and media consumer might say – we don’t accept congratulations or condolences, especially not in the form of manipulations.
This project is funded through a U.S. Embassy grant. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State.